How to Apply

Are you ready to apply for a place as a Trainee Officer at the Australian Defence Force Academy? The information below outlines the steps you need to follow. Please keep in mind that this is a dual application process and you must fulfil the requirements of both the Australian Defence Force and UNSW Canberra to be made an offer to attend ADFA.

Australian Defence Force (ADF) Trainee Officers

1.  Dual Application Process

Undergraduate entry to the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) is open to Australian Citizens who have been selected to join the Australian Defence Force and selected members of overseas Armed Forces. Trainee Officers are selected by one of the three services (Navy, Army or Airforce) in the Australian Defence Force and must also meet academic entry requirements for UNSW Canberra 

Applying for ADFA is a dual application process.

You must apply to join the Australian Defence Force as a Trainee Officer. As selection for the Australian Defence Force is a competitive process, which can take up to 12 months, it is preferable that you apply to Defence Force Recruiting in Year 11. 

For further information regarding the Defence Process, please visit the Defence Jobs website. 

You must also apply to UNSW Canberra via application to the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC):

You must complete both processes listed below to gain successful admission into ADFA. 

2.  Indicative lowest Selection Ranks for Trainee Officers for UNSW Canberra 

The following scores are the Indicative Lowest Selection Ranks required for entry to UNSW Canberra programs. The requirements only apply to Australian citizens who have been selected as  ADFA Trainee Officers and selected members of overseas Armed Forces.

UAC Code	Program	Program code	Years	Indicative Lowest Selection rank	IB Indicative Lowest Score*
450001	B Arts	4400	3	75	27
450010	B Business	4405	3	80	29
450020	B Science	4410	3	75	27
450030	B Computing and Cyber Security	4427	3	80	29
450040	B Aero Engineering (Honours)	4472	4	85	31
450050	B Civil Engineering (Honours)	4473	4	85	31
450060	B Electrical Engineering (Honours)	4471	4	85	31
450070	B Mechanical Engineering (Honours)	4474	4	85	31
450080	B Technology (Aero Engineering)	4430	3	85	31
450090	B Technology (Aviation)	4437	3	80	29

 

IB* = International Baccalaureate. Candidates must have met the requirements of an IB Diploma.

 

3.  Assumed Subject Knowledge Requirements

It is assumed that students will have achieved a level of subject knowledge (as listed below) that is considered desirable for successful university level study.

If you do not have the minimum level of assumed subject knowledge, you are NOT prevented from applying for admission or enrolling in any courses, but you will be placed at a considerable disadvantage.

Program	Assumed subject knowledge
B Arts	English
B Business	English
B Science	Mathematics
B Computing and Cyber Security	Mathematics
B Engineering (Aero, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical) Honours B Technology (Aero, Aviation)	Mathematics, Physics

 

Chief of Defence Force Students Programs for Academically Gifted Students

UNSW Canberra offers an exciting range of undergraduate degree options for high-performing students in Arts, Business, Engineering, Information Technology, Science, and Technology, known as the Chief of Defence Force Students Programs (CDFSP). These unique programs have been designed to provide academically gifted students with a rich and challenging educational experience that will develop their critical thinking and research skills.

CDFSP have objectives and learning outcomes in common with the standard degree program but extend the educational principles embodied in the standard program to a higher level. In the programs, students will be introduced to research in their discipline areas and will be offered significant extensions to the ideas and analysis performed in the standard program. This will allow the CDF students to undertake research projects at the appropriate level in their later years, thereby more fully integrating research into the standard undergraduate degree. The individual projects undertaken in close association with academic staff on research topics of mutual interest underpin the program and give students the ability to develop their full potential.

Students in the CDFSP will undertake individual research projects working closely with academic staff on projects from their area of interest. Upon completion of their degree, students will receive a unique award that reflects their involvement in this outstanding program.

All students enrolling in the CDFSP are expected to maintain a high level of academic performance over all semesters in order to remain within the program. Students who do not maintain the required level of performance will be transferred to the standard degree program offered, with credit for all courses completed.

Admission to these programs will be via the standard degree programs above. On acceptance of offer to the standard program, eligible students will be notified by Student Administrative Services of transfer options to the equivalent CDF Student Program.

CDF Programs available include:
B Arts (CDFSP)
B Business (CDFSP)
B Information Technology (CDFSP)
B Science (CDFSP)
B Technology (Aeronautical Engineering) (CDFSP)
B Aeronautical Engineering (Honours) (CDFSP)
B Civil Engineering (Honours) (CDFSP)
B Electrical Engineering (Honours) (CDFSP)
B Mechanical Engineering (Honours) (CDFSP)

Credit for Previous Studies (Advanced Standing)

Students who have previous study from another institution or another UNSW program will be contacted by Student Administrative Services prior to their commencement to submit an Application for Credit/Advanced Standing.

 Students will be asked to complete all sections of the application and submit it via email to sas@adfa.edu.au alongside the following documents:

• Official Academic Transcripts*
• Course Descriptions of studies which provides course synopses, including aims and objectives, contact hours, texts and references*

*Please note that these documents are not required if your previous study was completed at UNSW.

Please be aware that if you provided falsified documents in support of your application, then this will result in one of a range of penalties, from failure in the course to suspension or exclusion. In some cases, the matter could also be reported to ICAC. As a student, you should be aware of your obligations and responsibilities under the Student Code.

For further information on Credit/Advanced standing please see our Policy Guidelines.

Academy Visits

ADFA welcomes individuals and groups who are considering a career in the Australian Defence Force through the Academy to visit our facilities and speak with current cadets and staff.

Further information and to book Academy Visits

UNSW Canberra Key Dates

For important dates for UNSW Canberra applicants and students, including semester start and end dates, enrolment deadlines, public holiday compensation, examination and result dates, please see the UNSW Canberra Key Dates.

UNSW Canberra offers undergraduate programs in Arts, Business, Computing and Cyber Security, Engineering, Science, and Technology to current serving members of the Australian Defence Force.

ADF Current Serving Members

Students must:

1. Be recommended and approved by the Australian Defence Force Services (Navy, Army or Airforce) to study at UNSW Canberra.
2. Have met the minimum entry requirements for UNSW Canberra as outlined below.

Entrance Requirements

To be eligible for admission to UNSW Canberra applicants must meet the lowest tertiary entrance rank to gain admission to the relevant degree program.

To have your entrance rank determined, you must complete the Preliminary Assessment Form by no later than the end of August of the year before the commencement of study. If possible, this application should include a supporting statement from the ADF (e.g. confirming the conditional posting order – if applicable) and attaching other relevant documentation.

As part of your application you will be asked to submit certified copies of any formal academic qualifications that you may have including previous secondary, tertiary (TAFE, or University) or Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) accredited awards.

Please note that awards received from your service are not assessable unless they have been given Civilian Accreditation. 

Ineligible applicants will be directed to UNSW Canberra's Alternative Entry Pathways to provide them with an opportunity to achieve the requirements for admission.

UAC Code	Program	Program code	Years	ATARIndicative Lowest Selection rank
450001	B Arts	4400	3	67
450010	B Business	4405	3	72
450020	B Science	4410	3	67
450030	B Computing and Cyber Security	4427	3	72
450040	B Aero Engineering (Honours)	4472	4	79
450050	B Civil Engineering (Honours)	4473	4	79
450060	B Electrical Engineering (Honours)	4471	4	79
450070	B Mechanical Engineering (Honours)	4474	4	79
450080	B Technology (Aero Engineering)	4430	3	79
450090	B Technology (Aviation)	4437	3	75

 

Assumed Subject Knowledge Requirements

It is assumed that students will have achieved a level of subject knowledge (as listed below) that is considered desirable for successful university level study.

If you do not have the minimum level of assumed subject knowledge, you are NOT prevented from applying for admission or enrolling in any courses, but you will be placed at a considerable disadvantage and your service may require you to undertake a bridging program or other preparation courses such as Unilearn, Hubbard's School or any TAFE.

Program	Assumed subject knowledge
B Arts	English
B Business	English
B Science	Mathematics
B Computing and Cyber Security	Mathematics
B Engineering (Aero, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical) Honours B Technology (Aero, Aviation)	Mathematics, Physics

Academic Admission Standards

If applicants have multiple qualifications, then each qualification (from university or VET study) is assessed separately and the qualification/assessable item with the highest derived entrance rank is used for admission purposes.

Below is a list of qualifications accepted for entry, and their relevant derived entrance ranks.  

Qualification	Entrance Rank	Notes
AQF Certificate IV - Completed	73	Based on an ungraded (i.e. pass/fail) Certificate with no fail grades. Please contact SAS for assessment of graded Certificates.
AQF Diploma - Completed	75	Based on an ungraded (i.e. pass/fail) Diploma with no fail grades. Please contact SAS for assessment of graded Diplomas.
Bachelor degree – completed or incomplete	Derived from the Results Obtained	Please be advised that you must have completed 75% of a full time load under a degree to have it considered for admission, not including credit for previous study. For many institutions, this is 6 subjects, assuming 8 subjects is an annual load.
Special Tertiary Admission Test (STAT)	Derived from the Results Obtained	UNSW Canberra is currently piloting acceptance of STAT for admission to the Bachelor of Arts, Business and Science degrees for Advanced Students only. If you do not hold any academic qualifications that UNSW Canberra accepts for admission to these programs, you may qualify for admission by undertaking STAT. To undertake STAT, see STAT Registration and Admission.

Application via UAC

If you are approved by your Service for a transfer to ADFA and you meet the University's entrance requirements, you must lodge an application through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC). Applications open early August and close at the end of September of the year before the commencement of study. Late applications after the end of September will incur late fees. A formal offer of admission will then be made to you through UAC in January of the year you plan to commence your studies.

If requested by UAC to forward any academic qualifications or transcripts, you MUST do so. Because of the Privacy Act, Student Administrative Services cannot forward your documentation to UAC on your behalf.

UAC offers are released via email in the first week of January. You will normally have up to one week to accept the offer. If you meet the entrance rank and been informed by UNSW Canberra that you are eligible for admission, but have not heard anything by the end of the first week in January, you should contact Student Administrative Services on (02) 6268 6000 or at sas@adfa.edu.au.

Arrival at UNSW Canberra

Academic Preparation Program

The UNSW Canberra Academic Language and Learning (ALL) Unit run an Academic Preparation Course for new advanced students before the commencement of the semester.  By the end of this program, students will be in a better position to know what to expect when their official program begins and will be better prepared for the demands of their academic studies. This program aims to:

• Welcome students to UNSW Canberra;
• Prepare students for the demands of academic study at UNSW Canberra;
• Provide students with essential information about facilities and services such as the computer labs, library catalogues, subject specific databases and internet search facilities;
• Give students practical experience in critical analysis, reading and note-taking, researching sources, avoiding plagiarism and writing assignments.

 

 

Are you ready to apply for a place as a Defence Civilian Undergraduate Sponsorship student at UNSW Canberra? The information below outlines the steps you need to follow. Please keep in mind that this is a dual application process and you must fulfil the requirements of both the Australian Department of Defence and UNSW Canberra to be made an offer. 

For information about the Department’s application and selection process please visit their website.

DCUS Process

Students must:

1. Be recommended and approved by the Department of Defence by successful completion of an application process.
2. Have met the minimum entry requirements for UNSW Canberra as outlined in Entrance Requirements below.

Entrance Requirements

Indicative Lowest selection ranks for Defence Civilian Undergraduate Sponsorship (DCUS) Applicants for UNSW Canberra 

The following scores are the Indicative lowest selection ranks required for entry to UNSW Canberra programs. The requirements only apply to Defence Civilian Undergraduate Sponsorship (DCUS) Applicants.

UAC Code	Program	Program Code	Years	Indicative Lowest Selection Rank	IB* Indicative score
450030	B Computing and Cyber Security	4427	3	80	28
450040	B Aero Engineering (Honours)	4472	4	85	31
450050	B Civil Engineering (Honours)	4473	4	85	31
450060	B Electrical Engineering (Honours)	4471	4	85	31
450070	B Mechanical Engineering (Honours)	4474	4	85	31

*IB = International Baccalaureate. Candidates must have met the requirements of an IB Diploma.

Assumed Subject Knowledge Requirements

It is assumed that students will have achieved a level of subject knowledge (as listed below) that is considered desirable for successful university level study.

If you do not have the minimum level of assumed subject knowledge, you are NOT prevented from applying for admission or enrolling in any courses, but you will be placed at a considerable disadvantage.

Program	Assumed subject knowledge
B Computing and Cyber Security	Mathematics
B Engineering (Aero, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical) Honours B Technology (Aero, Aviation)	Mathematics, Physics

Application via UAC

If you are recommended and approved by the Department of Defence and you meet the University's entrance requirements, you must submit an application to the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC). 

UNSW Canberra Key Dates

For important dates for UNSW Canberra applicants and students, including semester start and end dates, enrolment deadlines, public holiday compensation, examination and result dates, please see the UNSW Canberra Key Dates.

Are you ready to apply for a place as a Non-Defence student at UNSW Canberra? The information below outlines the steps you need to follow.

UNSW Canberra offers a range of full degree programs as well as single-year Honours programs for non-Defence undergraduate students. Application processes vary depending on the degree program you are applying for (see further information below).

UNSW Code	UAC Code	Degree	Fee Type	Duration	Indicative Lowest Selection Rank	Application Type
4472	451040	B Engineering (Hons) Aeronautical	CSP	4 years (full-time)	93	Step 1, 2
4473	451050	B Engineering (Hons) Civil	CSP	4 years (full-time)	93	Step 1, 2
4471	451060	B Engineering (Hons) Electrical	CSP	4 years (full-time)	93	Step 1, 2
4474	451070	B Engineering (Hons) Mechanical	CSP	4 years (full-time)	93	Step 1, 2
4480	451100	B Engineering (Hons) Aeronautical/B Science	CSP	5 years (full-time)	93	Step 1, 2
4481	451100	B Engineering (Hons) Civil/B Science	CSP	5 years (full-time)	93	Step 1, 2
4482	451100	B Engineering (Hons) Electrical/B Science	CSP	5 years (full-time)	93	Step 1, 2
4483	451100	B Engineering (Hons) Mechanical/B Science	CSP	5 years (full-time)	93	Step 1, 2
4511	NA	B Arts (Honours)	CSP	1 year (full-time)	NA	Honours
4512	NA	B Business (Honours)	CSP	1 year (full-time)	NA	Honours
4517	NA	B Computing and Cyber Security (Honours)	CSP	1 year (full-time)	NA	Honours
4513	NA	B Science (Honours)	CSP	1 year (full-time)	NA	Honours

 

How to Apply for Engineering and Engineering/Science Degree Programs

Step 1 - Compulsory – submit a UAC application

Apply Here

Step 2 - Highly recommended – submit an application for the Faculty of Engineering Admission Scheme (FEAS) at UNSW Canberra

Apply Here